Eurofighter EF2000 (Typhoon)

Air superiority fighter with multi-role capabilities (Jagdflugzeug mit Fähigkeiten in der Luft-Boden-Rolle)

Country (Land)
Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain (Deutschland, Großbritannien, Italien und Spanien)

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH
Am Söldnermoos 17
D-85339 Hallbergmoos
Deutschland

Phone: 0049-811/80-0
Fax: 0049-811/80-1557

Principal partners (Partnerfirmen): Alenia, BAE Systems, EADS (formerly CASA and Dasa)

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1 (2 in trainer variant)

Weapons (Bewaffnung): There is a built-in 27-mm Mauser gun. On its 13 external load stations (five under the fuselage), Eurofighter can use a wide variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, including a maximum of

6 x AIM-120 AMRAAM or the Matra BAe Dynamics Meteor now under development
6 x AIM-9 Sidewinder or Matra BAe Dynamics ASRAAM or BGT IRIS-T
4 x ALARM anti-radiation missile
4 x Penguin or Boeing Harpoon anti-ship missiles
18 x Brimstone anti-tank missiles
2 x Matra BAe Dynamics Storm Shadow or LFK Taurus stand-off weapons
4 x Paveway GBU-10/16 laser-guided bombs with designator pod
6 x BL 755 cluster bombs
12 x 500 to 2000 lbs conventional bombs
4 x Bristol Aerospace CRV-7 rocket pods
3 x external fuel tanks

Of course, these loads cannot be carried simultaneously, so typical configurations mentioned are

3 x AMRAAM, 2 x AIM-9, 1 laser-designator pod and 4 GBU12 bombs, 3 tanks
4 x AMRAAM, 2 x AIM-9, 1 tank, 6 x Penguin ASMs
4 x AMRAAM, 2 x AIM-9, 1 x 1000 l tank, 2 x 1500 l tank, 4 x Penguin ASMs
4 x AMRAAM, 2 x AIM-9, 1 tank, 5 x 450 kg bombs
4 x AMRAAM, 2 x ASRAAM, 2 x 1500 l tank, 1 x 1000 l tank, 2 x Alarm, 2 x Storm Shadow
4 x AMRAAM, 2 x ASRAAM, 1 x 1000 l tank, 18 x Brimstone
4 x AMRAAM, 2 x ASRAAM, 1 x 1000 l tank, 6x Alarm
6 x AMRAAM, 2 AIM-9L, 2 Paveways, 2 x underwing tanks
4 x AMRAAM, 2 x ASRAAM, 2 x Alarm, 4 x Paveway, 1 tank under fuselage

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x Eurojet EJ200 two-spool turbofan with reheat
Thrust (Schub): 2 x 60 kN (13490 lbs) maximum dry thrust, 2 x 90 kN (20250 lbs) with reheat (mit Nachbrenner)

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 15,96 m
Heigth (Höhe): 5,28 m
Span (Spannweite): 10,95 m over ECM pods
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 50 sq m
Wing aspect ratio (Flügelstreckung): 2,205

Weights (Massen)
Empty weight (Leermasse): 10995 kg
Fuel capacity (Kraftstoff): 4000 kg
External stores load (Außenlast): 6500 - 8000 kg
Max. take-off weigth (Max. Startmasse): 23000 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. speed (max. Fluggeschwindigkeit): Mach 2.0+
Max speed at low altitude (max. Geschw. in Bodennähe): 1390 km/h (750 KEAS)
Minimum speed (Minimalgeschwindigkeit): 203 km/h (110 KEAS)
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 16765 m (55000 ft)
Time to 35000 ft/Mach 1.5 (Zeit auf 10600 m): 2,5 min
Take-off field length (Startstrecke): < 700 m
Landing field length (Landestrecke): < 700 m
Ferry range (Überführungsreichweite): 3700 km (2000 NM)
Radius of action (Aktionsradius):
   - Intercept with 10 min on Patrol (Abfangjagd): > 750 NM (1390 km)
   - Air patrol with 3 hrs on station (Luftraumpatrouille): > 100 NM (185 km)
   - Ground attack, hi-lo-hi flight profile (Bodenangriff): > 750 NM (1390 km)
   - Ground attack, lo-lo flight profile (Bodenangriff im Tiefflug): > 350 NM (650 km)
Ferry range (Überführungsreichweite): > 2000 NM (3700 km)
g-limit (g-Limit): +9/-3
Maintenance man-hours per flight hour (Wartungsaufwand pro Flugstunde): 9 h

Costs (Kosten)
German development cost contribution is now around 7 billion DM. Italy has already spent about 4000 billion Lire on the development phase.
According to the German ministry of defence, the fly-away price of the EF2000 is 63,4 million DM. After the sums for items like series preparation, tax, and logistics items are added, this rises to 125,4 million DM (at 12/1996 economic conditions). These figures are only half the truth however, because equipment like the ECM systems and the FLIR sensor, helmet-mounted display, software for air-to-ground weapons etc. are not included and have to be paid in additon.
In the UK, the Ministry of Defence estimates total procurement cost at 15,9 billion pounds, which translates into a system price per aircraft of 68,5 million pounds (200 million DM).
In Italy, air force chief-of-staff General Arpino predicts for the 121 Eurofighters a total cost of 15759 billion Lire until 2014. Of these 12691 billion Lire are assigned to industrialization and production and 3068 billion to the integrated logistical suport.

Customers (Kunden)
The four development countries are currently commited to the following offtakes:

Germany: 180 (including 40 for air-ground role and 33 two-seaters)
Great Britain: 232 (including 37 two-seaters, plus 65 options). First deliveries are planned to Coningsby from 2002, to an operational evaluation unit, an operational conversion unit and two front-line squadrons. Two further sqadrons will be at Leeming (2006-2008), and another three at Leuchars (2008-2010).
Italy: 121 (including 15 two-seaters, plus 9 options)
Spain: 87 (including 15 two-seaters, plus 16 options)

The contract for a first tranche was signed in January 1999.
Also, Eurofighter is intensifying work on export sales. Active prospects mentioned in November 1999 include:

Norway: A proposal for 20 plus up to 10 as options was submitted on 1. June 1999. The Typhoon is in competition with the F-16 here. In the spring of 2000, the country delayed a decision for an indefinite period, as there is not enough money to finance all armaments plans.
Greece: The country selected the Eurofighter in April 1999. A contract for 60 aircraft plus 30 options is now under negotiation, and a contract should be signed in the autumn of 2000.
South Korea: A technical proposal was submitted on 1 September 1999, with a full response to the RFP follwing on 28 June 2000. A decision could come in 2001. 40 to 60 aircraft are needed.
Poland: Has a long term requirement for 60 new fighters. Eurofighter responded to a RFI in July 1999.
Czech Republic: Long term requirement for 36 aircraft or so. Competition from Gripen, Mirage 2000, F-16 and F-18.
Netherlands. The country is evaluating the market and is also involved in the JSF. 100 plus would be needed to supplant the F-16s.
Singapore: A response to an FRI has been submitted. There is a need for 20 to 40 aircraft.
Australia: The country has a long term need to replace its F-18s, with maybe 60 aircraft required
Saudi Arabia: Early discussion are under way for 50 to 70, but a decision is a long way off.

In total, Eurofighter sees a sales potential of 400 aircraft over the next 30 years, out of a total market for 800. This will be worth over 35 billion Pounds.

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Boeing F-18E/F Super Hornet
Dassault Rafale
Lockheed Martin F-16
Suchoi Su-35/37

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
Eurofighter is the most important European military aviation programme. Workshares for the production phase are 36,3 per cent for the UK, 30 per cent for Germany, 20 per cent for Italy and 13,7 per cent for Spain. Actual responsibilities for the four partner companies are:

Alenia: left wing, outer flaperons, second and third section of rear fuselage
BAE Systems: front fuselage, canards, canopy, elevator, fuselage spine, first section of rear fuselage
CASA (now part of EADS): right wing and slats
Dasa (now part of EADS): fuselage centre section

History (Geschichte)
Eurofighter traces its origins back to first outline requirements for new fighters in the mid-to-late 70s. After many tries, during which the French finally pulled out to pursue their Rafale, a four-nation development contract for the EFA (European Fighter Aircraft) was finally signed in November 1988. This gave 33 per cent shares each to Germany and the UK, while Italy got 21 per cent and Spain 13 per cent.
The much-delayed flight-test programme started in 1994 and includes seven prototypes, as follows:
   * DA1: First flight 27. March 1994. Dasa. Fitted with RB199 engine at first.
   * DA2: First flight 6. April 1994. British Aerospace. Fitted with RB199 engine at first.
   * DA3: First flight 4. June 1995. Alenia.
   * DA4: First flight 14. March 1997. BAe. Two-seater.
   * DA5: First flight 24. February 1997. Dasa.
   * DA6: First flight 31. August 1996. CASA. Two-seater.
   * DA7: First flight 27. January 1997. Alenia.
Flights, which due to enormous software problems were slow to build-up at first, have now passed the 1300 mark.A total of 3950 flight hours will be necessary before completion ot the development phase in 2003.
Politically, the Eurofighter is a very controversial programme, in Germany at least, and there were numerous attempts to stop it. A major restructuring was forced by defence minister Rühe in 1992, and it was not until November 1997 that the German parliament finally gave its green light for the procurement. After the signature of the MOUs No. 6 and 7 by the defence ministers on 22. December, contracts with industry were concluded on 30. January 1998.
Deliveries are expected to be made in three batches, with the first to include 148 aircraft (96 single-seaters, 52 two-seaters). A contract for this was signed in September 1998, after apparent disagreements over the service/industry work split on overhaul and logisitcs in the UK were sorted out. Batch 2 and 3 will be confirmed later, and will be 236 aircraft each.
Just before the Farnborough Air Show in September 1998, Eurofighter was officially named the Typhoon for the export marketing campaigns outside Europe. The naming was delayed by some Defence Ministries which had not been consulted properly at first. They have stressed that partner nations are still free to call the EF2000 as they like when it enters service.
In 1999, Eurofighter clinched its first export customer, when Greece selected the aircraft over US competition. That decision was confirmed in March 2000, and a contract for 60 plus 30 options should be signed by the end of 2000.
Final assembly of the first Eurofighter production aircraft (IPA1) started at BAE Systems in Warton in September 2000. First flight is targeted for August 2001.

See also our programme tracker which lists the major political and developmental events for 1996 - 2000.

Much more infos are on our interactive CD-ROM.
Click here for details.

Last updated 19 August 2000

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